The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-07-10
WHILE THE GAME GOES ON.
PICTURES MADE hSOHa THE CROWD
At THE P0LOGROUNDS
A Mob ~ IL o Mob-Quesr IndividunIs-The
Two.PIy Fence-lienrtess Treatment OF
Dedicated Pinycrs-Buhy uackmen.

A Mob a. IL o Mob-Sluesr IndivIdunIs-The
Tvo.PIy Feuce-lienrsIess Treatment OF
Disieinted Piaycrs-Isuhy uackmen.
When yelling mob Of haskmen surrounds
The uptown stairway OF the IO6th street Third
avenue elevated railway station at about 3x
p. NJ, It Is q suro sign that there is to DO
game OF base ball on the Pola grounds, and
that similar mob is yelling justine same way
over on Eighth avenue at tho 11tth streot sta
ton. The hacks that turn out for this service
arc dilapidated lot, and the drivers are nota-
bic for the rancous quality OF their voices. In
vulnerable cheek. and clumsy driving. They
deafen with their clamor the throng OF men
pouring down from the stations Each vehicle
is announced by Its owner as tho next to start.
"Hore you are nowi For the Polo grounds.
Start right away" But the Quilt does not
start until six or eight persons have boon
crowded into seats built for only four. II three
or more can be prevailed upon to mount
the drivers seat, tho driver sits on the
footboard and let's his legs danglo. 1t
Is only six blocks to the Polo grounds. but the
ride costs each passenger twenty-five cents.
Old-tlme base ball cranks don't ride. but the
clerks on half holiday think 1t looks moro
stylish to 60 In carriages, and tho noisy, In
sistent hackmen catch them. The driver
dumps his load anywhere within fifty yards Of
tho gate. wheels about, and goes Gathering
back to the station, his horses on the jump, to
pick Up moro passengers. AS soon rs the pas
sengers alight on tho sidewalk they arc sur
rounded by ticket fiends. who try to create the
impression thai tho box Office is all out Of
grand stand tictots and that they have choice
seats for sale. Az there are 10 reserved seats,
the impression p not very wildly stamped
upon the minds o. those who have been there
before. Those WHO get in first capture the
front row. The seats are loose chairs, and no
doubt most of them we're once whole. But base
ball crowds are not gentle with loose furniture,
and after two or thre. games tho grand stand
looks like q hospita, for broken-legged and
sway-backed chairs. The last hali-dozen rows
of spectators stand on tue chairs and some OBJ
tain advantage over Their fellows by piling one
chair upon another and perilously posing on
top OF tho rickety pedestal. AS the back OF the
bottom chair must be broken OF to achieve
this feat, the general effect upon grand stand
furniture Is not preservauve. II q New York
player makes a big hit ora fine catch, or tho
umpire knocks out the interloping club with a
good, loyal. New York decision. crash in the
back row sometimes augments the applause.
Nobody minds it, however. 1t is understood
that some enthusiastic native has forgotten
the unstable nature of his pedestal and has
One Of the regular occupants OF seat on tho
grand stand Is q spectator who applauds every
5hng He is ~ M yin hsyfH ba
says down. leaving his mouth always open. He
wears o high collar and ahigh hat, and carries
jlauding with the cane II q player gets his
base on caIled balls. the nan with the cane ap-
HIauds + the player biz, foul ball the cane
thres bai Ais H or two stdkes. the cane boats
q tattoo. No matter VIVA, happens or fails to
daGes came me- resoands through tho grand stand
Ee applauds when player gets out, applauds
when he Is safe. applands a. catch, and np,
Quite Inc reverse u this man is to be seen at
at the Polo ouds He is the in
man who never saw a game before. He is in.
friend. often alone. In the first case the friend
makes score OF people within hearing weary
and exasperated by his attempts to explain the
nature OF the game as well rs TO point out good
plays in tho same breath. The newcomer. OF
course CANNOT tell u good play from the nous
s Proceeds S in nf this way
Climb n b man At bat the ono there With The he
the bail 50 That IT shall 60 inside. Of those
white lines you see there running from each
side Of his base, and then he must get, to sec
but it's foul, ,eh Oh, 2 foul Is when ball
lie has to try. again. He has four chances;
Count, Thers he missed the fourth strike and
smile, and nd II h. had hit The ball any one
We'll i should say not. There that's Conner;
he's heavy bitter I've seen him 91th the ball
H nor popped up baby ay into the hands Of the
short stop, and the expert had to explain that
s Wien the hei highest salared players pp'n
equally h co conspicuoas. He bays ). score card
riglt-hand neighbor an invalid for, life by
asking. questions at every point In the game
sSy MS Ssr S hs MR The bat Is that
Keilss All! do you col! that a base hit? Oh a
foul. Hml hml well what IS base hit. any,
Oh that's Arson, is NJ ivs heard Of him hes
from St Louis fsn'the2 Oh, Latham. We'll,
iGot EN- mixed up; Arson amt very popular.
Eso ' Gd thas dIdnt ' bas
%hs a hs Es SseiH EBAY Il this FSaSs
you for liGht?" And 20 the exaggerated but
accommodating spectator gives the light, and
o il Of tho eroWd
bs as deS dr Fl R mm p vero
and then admit nobody besides himself as
spectator. That was the way he used to do
with Wagner operas. ButIhe would lose half
tho fun. Ball Is not ball 1t tho Polo grounds
without the crowd There, y no finer or more
persistent set OF kickers I'M the country than
that same crowd. /: has no respect for the
Judgment OF an umpire, and Knows more about
the game than all the players in the League
put together. There is only one way to please
the crowd, and that Is to decide every point In
favor OF the home team. 1t Is an utterly heart
Less na;so crowd. too. player WHIP gets hurt re-
II the catcher has finger Knocked out OF
Joint, and takes more than a minute and q
hall to pull 1t back, he Is assaila with impa-
tient cries Of - Play BALL" When Mike Kelly's
niger was split open by a spike On Buck Ew-
ings shoe, and the pain caused him to muff q
ball knocked out to right field. the, crowd
leered and made sarcastic remarks. The only
sympathy he got was from a big Ihshman at
th9 iense. who cried as he came Ia from the
mold hapeup your heart, Mike: don't lave
them yex vel" quick glance upward and q
smile showed that the player heard and was
grateful for the kind words. But the crowd
goes to the Polo grounds to see base ball. and
/ expects eyeryman to play ball, unless his
mead is knocked rom his shoulders. In spite
OF the NOISY demsanor Of the spectators the
game Is followed with closer attention
than play at The theatre Not point
OF any kind is missed. and to the &C.
caSonal spectator there is no more intsrest-